The BBC is in something of an enviable position. As part of its duty to "inform, educate and entertain," the broadcaster is effectively mandated to innovate -- to explore new technologies that can better serve the public. This is the job of BBC R&D, which is looking to virtual reality as a new way to tell stories, without the same commercial pressures other broadcasters face. There's a certain freedom in this, and it's allowing the BBC to go beyond 360-degree video and dip its toe into more immersive "true VR" experiences, with the first of these being published today.